Ben Wallace, Chris Webber among Hall of Fame finalists

Rod Beard
The Detroit News
Ben Wallace was a four-time defensive player of the year, four-time All-Star and was All-NBA three times. He’s perhaps best known for his Afro and “Fear the ‘Fro” mantra during his 16-year NBA career.

Ben Wallace is back in the finals — but this time, it’s not for an NBA title.

The former Pistons center, renowned for his days with the Pistons’ “Goin’ to Work” 2004 championship team, is among the 13 finalists for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced Friday.

Wallace was a four-time defensive player of the year, four-time All-Star and was All-NBA three times. He’s perhaps best known for his Afro and “Fear the 'Fro” mantra during his 16-year NBA career.

Joining Wallace as a finalist is former Michigan standout Chris Webber, who was renowned as a member of the Fab Five group that went to back-to-back NCAA championship games in 1992 and ’93. He was the No. 1 pick in the 1993 draft and was the 1994 rookie of the year; in his NBA career, he was a five-time NBA All-Star and All-NBA three times.

Webber played in high school at Detroit Country Day and was the Naismith national player of the year in his senior season in 1991.

Wallace is one of four first-time Hall of Fame finalists, joining player and coach Paul Westphal, seven-time All-Star Jack Sikma and five-time All-Star Marques Johnson.

The nine previous finalists are Webber, five-time All-Star Sidney Moncrief, eight-time first-team defensive player Bobby Jones, NBA coach Bill Fitch, women's player Teresa Weatherspoon and college coach Eddie Sutton.

Hall of Fame inductees will be announced during this year's Final Four in Minneapolis.

Rod.Beard@detroitnews.com

Twitter: @detnewsRodBeard